Tuesday, 15 July 2014

Summer dress free Pattern

The neck was small, sleeves were far too complicated and
binding was rubbish. I was learning how to use the sewing machine

And then it was winter and I was so into skirts and to get
the back elastic perfect that I forgot everything else.

Once it was summer this year I really wanted to show off the
beautiful skin of my daughter. My first
idea was a sleeveless version of the tiered dress I had made that could be used
in winter as well with a tee under it. Then I thought when would she wear a
proper summer dress. And there it was this blue fabric I bought in Goldhawk
road starting at me.

I really wanted to do the 3 tier again but without the
sleeves. I was negotiating the sleeves option but then thought I wanted a very
fitted bodice and the only way I was going to have it was to have

- Shirring at the back OR

- Have a very fitted pattern with buttons or zip all over the
back.

My hands were itching and I wanted to get started. It was at
10 in the night. Couldn’t wait for the morning or rather the weekend to buy shirring
thread so used elastic just to see how to front of the dress turns out. It
worked beautifully - front and back
and could put off to learn shirring for later.

I’m already thinking of variations of this pattern. And
doodling them.

I've called this pattern Mela - A fair as I thought it will be perfect for wearing at a fair.

Thanks Caroline. To form the neat gathers does take a bit of time, but I'm planning another top with the same pattern except I'm going to make it like a top or a frock with just one tier. Will save a lot of time :)

Ah! The layers are just rectangles and they don't need patterns to be printed or traced. I therefore added the measurements of the rectangles here - http://widicreations.blogspot.com/2014/07/download-epattern-and-cut-fabric-for.html. Thanks for asking.

Hi Beverly, the 25 cm is the fabric that you would need to buy to create the bias for bodice, loops, straps and skirt. http://widicreations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/download-epattern-and-cut-fabric-for.html.If you are buying the readymade bias binding then you would only need to get the binding according to the table in http://widicreations.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/download-epattern-and-cut-fabric-for.html.

I've contacted the author several times about the lack of download (also on her Facebook page) but no response. So I don't think she maintains it any more. I have hard copy of the bodice pattern, you could contact me through my blog http://newgrandmawantstosew.blogspot.co.uk/ - sadly I don't have it electronically.Alternatively, this has a similar design, the main difference being there is a separate back bodice pattern. You could use that to print a pattern and then follow the Widi Creations ideas for making the three-tiered dress or the simpler sundress. Hope this helps. http://www.basteandgather.com/free-sewing-pattern-cupcake-dress-gleeful-blog-hop/

Thank you for fixing the broken link - I'll carry on recommending your pattern now! My three grand-daughters are still wearing the dresses I made them nearly 18 months ago.(You can see my post about them here:http://newgrandmawantstosew.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/layered-dresses-using-widi-creations.html) They were plenty long enough - in fact too long - initially I cut down the length of the layers - but I've had to loosen the back elastic on them to allow for the fact they have grown. For one of them, it remains her most favouritest dress.